diff --git a/scripts/ci/cuda/ci_install_dependency.sh b/scripts/ci/cuda/ci_install_dependency.sh
index d53e52c0b676..66a37310de77 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/cuda/ci_install_dependency.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/cuda/ci_install_dependency.sh
@@ -285,11 +285,15 @@ install_sglang_kernel() {
         $PIP_CMD install "torch==${TORCH_VER}" "torchaudio==${TORCHAUDIO_VER}" "torchvision==${TORCHVISION_VER}" --index-url "https://download.pytorch.org/whl/${CU_VERSION}" --force-reinstall --no-deps $PIP_INSTALL_SUFFIX
     fi
 
-    # install_sglang above pulls sglang-kernel from PyPI, whose default wheel
-    # tracks one CUDA version (currently cu130). Force-reinstall from the
-    # CU_VERSION-matched sglang wheel index so runners on a different CUDA
-    # (e.g. h20 / cu129) get a wheel linked against the right libnvrtc.
-    $PIP_CMD install "sglang-kernel==${SGL_KERNEL_VERSION_FROM_SRT}" --index-url "https://docs.sglang.ai/whl/${CU_VERSION}/" --force-reinstall --no-deps $PIP_INSTALL_SUFFIX
+    if [ "${CUSTOM_BUILD_SGL_KERNEL:-}" != "true" ]; then
+        # install_sglang above pulls sglang-kernel from PyPI, whose default wheel
+        # tracks one CUDA version (currently cu130). Force-reinstall from the
+        # CU_VERSION-matched sglang wheel index so runners on a different CUDA
+        # (e.g. h20 / cu129) get a wheel linked against the right libnvrtc.
+        $PIP_CMD install "sglang-kernel==${SGL_KERNEL_VERSION_FROM_SRT}" --index-url "https://docs.sglang.ai/whl/${CU_VERSION}/" --force-reinstall --no-deps $PIP_INSTALL_SUFFIX
+    else
+        echo "CUSTOM_BUILD_SGL_KERNEL=true: keeping freshly built sgl-kernel wheel."
+    fi
 
     mark_step_done "${FUNCNAME[0]}"
 }